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Homosexuals Hold Protest in ‘Village’ After Raid Nets 167

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March 9, 1970, Page 29 The New York Times Archives

About 200 radical women and men homosexuals demonstrated in Sheridan Square last night against what they termed the increasing repression of homo sexuaLs In Greenwich Village b the police.

The protesters, members of the Gay. Liberation Front and a number of women's liberation organizations, protested the ar rest of 167 people in a pre dawn raid on a bar that the police said was frequented by homosexuals.

One of those arrested was in critical condition at St. Vin cent's Hospital after he Jumped from a second‐story window at the Charles Street station house and was impaled on a iron spike fence below, according to the police.

The demonstrators gathered in Sheridan Square at Seventh Avenue at about 8:30 P.M. and marched to the Charles Street station house.

The Fire Department's rescue scivad was forced to cut out section of the fence, with Mr. Vinales still impaled on it, and to transport both the fence and the injured man to the hospi tal. There surgeons asked the firemen to don surgical gowns and assist in the surgery. Five spikes were removed from the injured man's thigh and pelvis.

By late evening the demon strators had left the hospital and were marching through the West Village area in orderly fashion, according to the police.

The raid, at 5 A.M., took place at The Snake Pit, 213 West 10th Street, which the police said had been operating illegally after hours.

All of those arrested, except Mr. Vinales were given. sum mons for disorderly conduct and released. Mr. Vinales was booked for resisting arrest.

A version of this archives appears in print on March 9, 1970, on Page 29 of the New York edition with the headline: Homosexuals Hold Protest in ‘Village’ After Raid Nets 167. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe